title: [Environmental and sociocultural parameters affecting nutrition in Third World countries].
abstract: The thrust of this paper is an analysis of the environmental and sociocultural parameters affecting dietary patterns in Third World countries. The author utilizes data from several studies to emphasize her thesis that malnutrition in developing societies is not an entity caused simply by income constraints, or food availability, but rather that malnutrition constitutes a critical entity resulting from a constellation of problems, ranging from environmental stresses, to social inequities to cultural factors. Special discussion is given to the variables of income distribution, social stratification and food beliefs as major contributing influences of malnutrition in Third World countries. The problems facing newly migrating urban squatters--or what is known as "societies in transition" in the context of high unemployment and new demands for food--are also dealt with in the Latin American setting. The author discusses the importance to recognize that since the etiology of malnutrition is ecologically-based; therefore, the approaches to solve this problem should--also by definition--be of an ecological nature. The need to further develop meaningful conceptual models--in contrast to utilizing "imported" ones--in order to study and understand the nature and magnitude of malnutrition problems in Third World countries is also stressed.
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005495:Folklore; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007843:Latin America; D008297:Male; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants
vernacular_title: Parámetros ambientales y socioculturales que afectan la alimentación en los países del Tercer Mundo.